Roberts County Highpoint Trip Report
two areas - one with BM Fence (3,260+ ft)
Date: November 24, 2007
Authors: Dave and Beckie Covill, John Mitchler
Walt O’Neill and Scott Surgent have previously posted trip reports for this easy cohp.
We add some detail.
From US 60 in Pampa TX , take FM 282 Northbound (recall that TX has Farm to
Market roads, generally all paved, and in great condition; and County Roads tend
to be smaller and gravel mostly). This intersection is on the southwest edge of
town. If you plan to spend a night in Pampa be warned that this place stinks
like oil as bad as Artesia and Roswell NM and there are few places to stay.
Borger to the west or Canadian to the east are better choices.
Zero the odometer at US 60. Cross over TX 152 after a mile and continue north,
past the Pampa airport, to mile 7. At this point, FM 282 curves eastward but
you stay left and proceed north on a good gravel road, previously identified as
Haycock, but currently signed as Morrison Ranch Road. Go north for 0.1 mile as
FM 282 curves away from you to the right and then turn left (west) at some
mailboxes onto Price Road, also a good gravel road. Re-zero the odometer here.
Travel about 2.8 miles along this road as it takes you across grassy rangeland,
first due west for a mile, then curving northwest for the remainder. At this
point you’ll reach a north-south fence. This cattle guard, the third you cross,
is the trailhead.
There are large power line towers proceeding north-south along the fence line
here. The first candidate contour is north of the cattle guard, extending on
both sides of the fence, for perhaps 500 feet. The BM Fence is indeed located
at the far northern edge of the contour, under the fence itself, but may be
slightly lower than the ground in the center of the contour. It should be noted
that Roberts County occupies the land on both sides of the fence; this is not a liner.
We recommend walking up the east side of the fence. Proceed past the
first tower of power, right by the cattle guard, to at least the second tower.
You may want top walk as far as the third, near the BM. Terrain is flat, open
grassland, a pleasant contrast to farmland or weedy rangeland typical of the TX Panhandle.
The map shows a two-track leading south to the second candidate contour. This
lane is not obvious from the gravel road and you are better off just driving
back about 0.25 to the souheast, parking, and walking 600 feet due west to the
high area. Hand leveling with a 5X level indicated this area to be about 3 feet
lower than the northern area. This cohp could be accomplished at dusk, or even
in the dark.